


Blossom

by hinamii



Category: Tokyo Ghoul
Genre: A little angst, AU, Consent is Sexy, Dorks in Love, Fluff, Fluff and Angst, Hurt/Comfort, M/M, Past Abuse, alternately titled: Kaneki and Hide try to make out three times but get interrupted twice, because dub/noncon hurts my soul, fear of thunder, help this is my first serious fic idk what I'm doing, implied sex, paper flowers, so much cuddling, they love each other so much everything will be okay
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2015-10-05
Updated: 2015-10-05
Packaged: 2018-04-24 21:29:16
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 6,814
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/4936006
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/hinamii/pseuds/hinamii
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>An AU where at first everything is worse, so now everything is better.</p><p> </p><p>(this is my first real actual serious fic so feedback is greatly appreciated! i shamelessly shoved in a bunch of awful fluffy headcanons and im sure this started out with having a plot but oh well :^/ enjoy this poorly written self indulgent trash)</p><p>edit: because apparently i just can't leave well enough alone here it is with 100% more fluttery Kaneki and 40% more tooth rotting fluff</p>
            </blockquote>





	Blossom

**Author's Note:**

> basically an au where Kaneki's aunt was worse and she eventually kicks him out of the house so he's forced to sell paper flowers in order to survive. Ironically, this paves the way for his life to stop sucking? I don't know what I'm doing and this is pretty much just a gross word vomit of all my cutesy headcanons so please keep the tomato throwing to a minimum ok

The coal-haired boy stared blithely up at the fat raindrops just beginning to fall from the heavy gray clouds and splash on his forehead. He gave a wistful smile, licking off a drop that dribbled down next to his mouth. Then, dropping his gaze, he sighed, "Guess I'm not eating today."

Kaneki stared absently at his makeshift booth littered with paper flowers, origami paper, and an admittedly rather pathetic tip jar for a full minute before realizing the full implications of the rain. In a slight panic, he hastily packed up his stand, shoving the origami paper deep into the thin pockets of his torn and scuffed coat and emptying the 410¥ in tips into his bag. In his rush to save his only source of income, however, Kaneki's toe caught the edge of the table and he tripped, landing squarely on his chest and scattering the flowers across the street. 

The impact had knocked the wind clear out of him, but the small teenager was determined to save his work. Wheezing, he crawled through the downpour, picking up the damp origami and apologizing softly to the street traffic of Tokyo in late fall, forced to detour around him. Taking deep breaths in an attempt to regulate his heaving chest, Kaneki reached for the last flower, only to find it next to a shoe which was attached to a leg which was attached to a body which was attached to a face with the warmest chocolate brown eyes Kaneki had ever seen, gazing right back at him.

Momentarily forgetting about the now unsalvageable paper flower, he gasped and did his best to sit up, pulling the hood of his jacket around his face in an attempt to hide. Already embarrassed from his fall, Kaneki was now positively scarlet. He scrambled away and stood unsteadily, bowing deeply.

"S-sorry! I'm sorry!" Kaneki stuttered, pulling back up from the bow in an attempt to assess the exact degree of hatred the stranger possessed towards him. 

The other boy laughed, not unkindly. "Do you need any help?"

For a reason Kaneki couldn't quite grasp, the words made his heart ache. "Um. I'm-no-I'm alright."

 _Smooth._ He'd never been good with meeting new people.

He looked up at the other boy, his gaze staying on his face for the first time. His hair was a fluffy shock of brown and golden blonde, and he exuded a certain familiar warmth from his being. Light droplets of rain cascaded down his freckled cheeks and dripped off his hair, but he was smiling so brightly that it was clear he couldn't care less about being wet. He bent to pick up the forgotten origami lily, grinning.

"These are really beautiful." He handed the flower back to Kaneki, giving a lopsided smirk. "You wanna get out of this rain?"

The dark-haired boy's skin tingled warmly where his hand had touched the stranger's (he was mentally calling him 'sunshine boy'), which temporarily impeded his judgement and caused his words to come out in a jumbled, incoherent run-on sentence. The boy, interpreting Kaneki's words as he saw fit, grabbed Kaneki's hand and took him under an awning offering protection from the rain. 

He had no idea why, but the stranger's hold on Kaneki's hand all at once felt reassuring and made him so self-conscious that he started rubbing the dirt on his cheeks off with the back of his hand once safely under the awning. The dirt, however, simply smudged and mingled with the rainwater, distorting his face to near unrecognition.

"So-" the golden-haired boy looked back at Kaneki's stand and righted it with his foot, hooking a leg of the table and dragging it to dry ground, "-do you have somewhere warm to stay out of the rain? And, hey, what's someone as tiny as you even doing out here selling paper flowers? The rain's gonna knock you over, you're so skinny," he teased.

For reasons unknown to him, Kaneki flushed red again. "I'm not that skinny! And-um. I don't have anywhere to stay...." He trailed off, not sure how to answer the stranger's last question. "And-besides," he sputtered, "h-how do I know you're not a serial killer? Or one of those creepy ghoul things they talk about on the news?"

Oddly enough, the other boy cracked a smile. "Um, I swear I'm not a serial killer! Or a ghoul, but, like, that would be cool if I was, 'cause I was watching TV the other day and they said that they have this crazy stamina or regeneration or something and I keep stubbing my toe on this sticky-out table in my apartment and it would be really helpful, you know, if it didn't hurt? Or it stopped hurting sooner? But the not-being-able-to-eat-anything-but-human-flesh part would suck, probably, 'cause Big Girl rocks." He cut himself off with a huff of breath.

"Anyway!" With a bright smile, he reassured, "You don't have to tell me why you're out here, but I don't wanna see you freeze your butt off."

Kaneki was a fair bit flustered from trying to follow the ramble, but managed to mumble, "You're, um, offering....?"

He flashed a megawatt grin. "You can stay with me until you get back on your feet, or, whatever."

Blushing even more, Kaneki touched his hand lightly to his chin. "Oh, um, th-thank you for offering, but I don't need it...! Really, I'm just fine. It probably doesn't seem like it, but I'm....I'm doing well."

"Are you sure you don't need anyone?" The other boy's expression was now that of concern. "Rabbits die when they get lonely, you know!"

_Rabbits....die when they get lonely?_

Kaneki blinked rapidly. He knew those words, that phrase, knew them like an old friend. Gray eyes met brown, and he spoke.

"....Hide?"

Hide's eyes widened and then filled with an expression like relief. 

"I didn't even recognize you...."

He licked his thumb and started wiping the dirt off Kaneki's cheeks, much to his chagrin. "Hide!" he squeaked, ducking away from his touch. "Quit it, that's gross!"

Hide giggled and gave a tender smile, nothing but affection on his face. 

"I just wanna see your face again."

After a moment's hesitation, Kaneki leaned forward into his touch and let him rub the dirt off, smiling and blushing softly.

They stayed like that for longer than strictly necessary, Hide's hand on Kaneki's cheek, until the golden-haired boy spoke.

"What even happened to you? Seventh grade, in the middle of the year, you just-poof." He illustrated this with a vague hand gesture. "Gone. Disappeared. You didn't even get to see my cool new hair! I sat in the sun with lemon juice and peroxide in it for hours!" He ruffled his fingers through his fluffy golden mane, clearly pleased with the outcome. Kaneki smiled weakly, trying to think of a gentle way to put his situation. 

_Leave it to Hide to find a way to make me feel relaxed even when I'm....I'm the one who walked out on him..._

Kaneki sighed softly. "To put it bluntly..." He shuffled awkwardly on his feet. "My aunt kicked me out. And now I'm selling these 'cause I can't afford food or an apartment or anything, and nobody wants to hire an eighteen-year-old without a high school diploma, so..." He shrugged, trailing off. "I kinda...live out here now." 

There was a short silence, and he flinched, worried he'd misspoken. "I'm, um, sorry. I-I should've told you before..."

Something like anger flitted across Hide's features, and Kaneki took a nervous step back, anxiety taking hold.

"Sorry. S-sorry, did I....?"

Hide schooled his features into a calmer expression and sighed. "No, no, it's not you!" He clenched and unclenched his fists as he spoke. "It just pisses me off so much. She always did. Kicking you on the street like you're garbage-doesn't she even care that you're a human being? She ruined your life and she's probably at home living it up right now while you're out here, probably getting hypothermia, just trying to survive!" He punctuated the words with a huffy breath, visible in the frigid air. "Sorry. You just...deserve so much better."

Expression growing a little distant, he mused, "You, um, don't have to answer this, but, like, she never, you know, hurt you, did she....?"

Kaneki sighed, more than a little wistfully, and pulled down the collar of his tattered jacket, revealing a deep-set scar from the scratch of a set of long nails.

Burying his face first in his hands then in the other boy's soft, dark hair, wrapping his arms around him, Hide murmured, almost mournfully, "I'm so sorry. So sorry.... If I'd known...." He trailed off, then pulled back enough for Kaneki to be able to see his face.

"You're so cold."

"You're so warm."

The two teenage boys pulled again into a hug, this time mutually. Kaneki melted into the warm touch, sighing softly, and Hide did his best to envelop the smaller boy like a blanket. Tingly sparks ran up and down Kaneki's body, energizing and warming him, and he decided he wanted to stay like this forever.

After an eternity that neither wanted to end, wrapped in the other's embrace, Hide was the one who broke the silence and pulled back. Grinning cheekily, he said, "Let's get you back to my place, 'kay?" Then, with a sigh, his face rearranged itself to a more somber expression. "I'm not gonna let you live like this anymore."

A flustered squeak burbled out of Kaneki's throat, and he protested, "Hide, do you really want me hanging around, and, like..." His conflict between his desire not to burden Hide with his presence and his craving for food, warmth, and companionship showed clearly on his face. "Like, eating your food and using up all your hot water and stuff?"

Biffing Kaneki's arm lightly, offended, Hide smirked. "What do you think, doofus?"

"Um." The raven-haired boy honestly had no idea of the answer to Hide's question.

He beamed again, a grin brighter than the sun that set off aches of familiarity and longing in Kaneki's chest. 

"Of course I want you around, you dork. I thought you were just some random tiny stranger when I offered, remember?" His smile increased in its brilliance. "Knowing it's you I get to help just makes it so much better."

Sighing softly, Kaneki relented, "Um, okay. If you wan-"

Cut off by Hide's impossibly warm embrace, he giggled to himself. "I'll make sure it's great. It'll be great, okay?" The golden-haired boy pulled back and placed his hands squarely on Kaneki's shoulders, grinning. "I swear it's gonna be awesome."

Taking gentle hold of Hide's hands on his shoulders, the raven-haired boy allowed himself a small, satisfied smile. "Hide, I, uh...thank you. Thank you so much...." He fluttered his hands happily at his sides, happy tears pricking the corners of his eyes, and a warm hand reached up to gently rub them away. 

A cheeky grin danced across Hide's face, and he giggled, "Don't cry, 'neki, living with me won't be that awful!"

Kaneki blushed deeply, flustered and embarrassed to be crying in front of his happy, confident best friend-and when he had just paid him such an enormous favor, too! "Hide, no, it's not like that!" He rubbed a thin sleeve against his eyes, giving a wobbly smile. "I'm just-I'm just so, so....so happy...."

Hide gave a smile that was somehow gentler than his trademark megawatt grin.

"I'm glad."

Just as quickly as the tears came, they were gone, and Kaneki giggled softly. The bright smile returned to Hide's face, and he removed his hands from the gray-eyed boy's shoulders, struck with an idea. "Hold still and close your eyes."

"Okay..." Kaneki did as he was told, and a second later felt a weight settle on his shoulders and warmth envelop his body. He inhaled softly, and found that whatever was on his shoulders smelled like Hide.

Eyes still closed, Kaneki laughed, "Hide-are you hugging me?"

"Nope! Now open your eyes," came the response, and when he did he found Hide's heavy, fluffy winter coat on his shoulders, on over his old, tattered jacket. He looked up at his best friend, blinking rapidly in confusion. "What..."

The brown-eyed boy laughed, the abscence of his jacket revealing the warm sweater underneath. Looking completely unruffled by the cold, he said, "It's for you, of course! I'm not having you freeze to death on the walk back."

Kaneki touched his hand to his chin, flustered by receiving the first gift he had in years. Having no idea where to begin, he sputtered, "Hide-you-I-I don't need this! This is _yours_! Mine is just fine!" 

He started trying to wiggle out of the heavy jacket, nose and ears turning red-Kaneki was blushing so much he was certain he would literally catch fire at some point in this conversation-but he was stopped by Hide's hand on his shoulder, an unusually serious expression on his face.

"Please just wear it, Kaneki. You need it way more than I do, trust me."

Taken aback by the frankness of the other boy's statement, Kaneki muttered, "You should at least wear mine..." 

Hide, a smile gracing his face again, laughed, "Um, I don't know if you've noticed? But our size difference has increased dramatically since seventh grade." He looked down at the coal-haired boy, grinning. "Just wear both at once."

Kaneki nodded sheepishly, slipping his hands through the too-long sleeves that flopped around as he moved. He felt as if he was swimming in fur, but warm, so impossibly warm, and enveloped in Hide's scent. He hugged the coat to himself, sighing happily, and murmured his thanks to the taller boy.

A warm hand found his, and- _oh_ \- Kaneki blushed harder, the giddy, tingly feeling he'd felt at first making its way back. _Why is Hide holding my hand?_ he wondered to himself, _and why does it feel so good?_

A voice reached its way into Kaneki's mind and snapped him out of his stupor. "Are you ready to go? Got everything you need?" Swallowing hard, Kaneki choked down his embarrassment and nodded. He picked up his bag and began to walk with his best friend. 

The downpour had ebbed to a lighter rain during their conversation, and the thick hood from Hide's jacket shielded Kaneki from the drops. The golden-haired boy, as before, looked as if he couldn't care less about getting wet, and he swung his hand, holding Kaneki's, as they walked. His longer legs meant he had to slow down to keep the smaller boy's pace, but he reasoned that the slower they walked, the more time they could spend together, just enjoying each other's company.

The pair was silent as they walked, Hide's grasp on Kaneki's hand strong and reassuring. They continued like this for a while until Hide broke the silence, looking at the smaller boy with wide eyes.

"Why did she even kick you out?" 

Kaneki hesitated slightly in his step. 

"Let me guess-for no reason, right?"

His grey eyes grew wider and his shoulders tensed slightly, a change from relaxed to the beginnings of panic noticeable only by the hyperperceptive Hide. Kaneki's voice had the slightest shaky edge as he spoke, but it was clear he was doing his best to stay calm.

"No, it's not that. She-my aunt-she, um, started to...to forget to feed me. I mean-" he was looking more panicked by the second as he hastily corrected himself, "she started giving me less and less money for me to buy food, until she just..." A choked-up, fearful sound burbled out of his throat. 

"She forgot I was there. Or she was ignoring me completely, I don't know...but she never talked to me, never acknowledged me...I couldn't bring myself to ask you for any food, Hide, but I..." another panicked sound escaped, "I was so, so hungry. Some days I would come home from school and all the doors would be locked and I just had to sleep outside because she wouldn't open it for me. That's when..." He took a gasping breath of air and continued, "I had to stop going to school because all my stuff, even Dad's books, e-everything...was inside, and I couldn't count on having it every day. And...and one night, I just, I couldn't take it any more and I just..." 

Shoulders shaking with the effort of trying not to cry, he tried his best to collect himself before continuing. "I went into the kitchen late at night. I thought nobody would be awake, but she, she was sitting there and she asked me if I was trying to steal from her, and I said I just wanted something to eat, and..." His eyes were swimming with tears and every word felt thick and heavy to his throat. Remembering, he touched a hand gingerly to his collarbone. 

"She, she grabbed me, and took her hand and she-"

A warm mass pressed against Kaneki, and it took him a moment to realize that he had stopped walking and forgotten to breathe. Hide's arms were around him, hugging him tightly. Hide's voice floated to him, laden with the same sadness Kaneki felt, with an edge of anger.

"Please, stop. I can't listen to this anymore. I can't hear you sound like that anymore..."

The pair stood in silent embrace for a long moment, during which Kaneki managed to bring his breathing back under control.

"She's the worst. I can't believe you could live like that...You should've said something, Kaneki, I could've..." A strangled sigh fell from his mouth as he lightly scratched his freckled cheek. "I could've done something." 

Under his breath, he muttered, "I knew there was something off. I should've..."

"I know. I'm sorry, I-"

"Don't be."

Hide pulled back enough to be able to see the smaller boy's face, even bending his knees slightly to be at eye level with him, and repeated his earlier gesture of wiping away Kaneki's tears, this time with a practiced gentleness and an even more tender touch.

"You're safe now, okay? You don't have to worry anymore."

Embarrassed, Kaneki looked down and away, his cheeks starting to burn. "Um-I, um. Thank you."

Straightening, Hide took hold of Kaneki's hand again, and, feeling bold, the raven-haired boy returned the pressure. Warm tingles ran up his arm, bringing a soft smile to his face. They continued walking, the rain increasing in intensity until Hide was finally forced to shield his face with an arm.

Giggling, Kaneki teased, "I was wondering when you'd notice the rain."

"I'm my own source of heat and energy," the taller boy smirked.

"Yeah, I can tell."

By the time Hide's apartment was in sight, the pair had broken into a run in a futile effort to escape the downpour.

"Last one there is a rotten, um, pepper!"

"Why-" Kaneki stopped to wheeze, "-a pepper?"

"Everyone always says 'egg'! It's getting boring!"

Rotten pepper or not, Kaneki was beaten to the door; after slamming the door behind him to stave off the increasingly wild wind, he had to physically bend over and put his hands on his knees to recover from the short sprint. He didn't want to look up to see Hide's expression, but he guessed (correctly) that he was sporting a shit-eating grin.

"Slowpoke."

Lacking the mental energy to think of a comeback, Kaneki shook his head violently, sending droplets of rainwater flying at his best friend. Hide returned the favor. Stopping suddenly, Kaneki giggled to himself. "You look like a wet dog." 

Big brown eyes gazed back at him, doing their best to feign a hurt, soulful puppy-dog expression, and the giggling increased in volume. "That just makes it worse!"

After their short giggle fit, Kaneki slipped off his jackets and immediately shivered as his wet clothes met the air. Hide glanced over his shoulder, smiling gently.

"Yo, Kaneki, should I run you a bath?" 

The shivering boy nodded quickly. "P-please." 

He pulled off his worn shoes and ambled after Hide to the bathroom. Once there, his friend turned the knobs and then painstakingly adjusted the temperature, making sure the water was perfect before closing the drain. 

Behind him, Kaneki fidgeted uneasily, feeling babied. He cleared his throat and stated sharply, "Hide."

"What?" Hide turned around to see Kaneki shifting awkwardly from foot to foot, cheeks dusted with pink.

"I can do it myself, Hide. I, um, appreciate it, but I'm not a child." He looked away, suddenly regretting saying something. He was just trying to help him, after all! Fortunately, he heard Hide laugh good-naturedly, but still couldn't bring himself to look at him.

"Yeah, you're right." There was a short pause. "Ah, but you're sure you don't need me to check on you or anything?"

Kaneki looked up, poised to respond with another teasing remark, until he noticed Hide's completely serious expression, and his cheeks went from slightly pink to full burning scarlet. Flustered, he whined, " _Hi_ de! O-of course not!"

The golden-haired boy inclined his head slightly, giving an easy smile. "Whatever you say. You just seem really tired, and I don't want you to fall asleep in the bath. And drown."

With a start, Kaneki realized that he was exhausted, extremely so. He smiled softly, remembering how his best friend always noticed the little quirks and tics in his personality. 

_It's like we picked up right where we left off._

He sighed, grinning at Hide. "I swear I'll try not to fall asleep. Just don't come in here and check on me, okay?" The taller boy nodded, digging a towel out of the closet and tossing it to Kaneki. 

"I'm gonna make you some instant ramen or something. Hey-" he cut the smaller boy off as he opened his mouth to protest, "don't tell me you don't need it! You haven't eaten at all today, have you?"

Kaneki shook his head sheepishly. "Exactly," continued Hide, on his way out the door. "You gotta eat, 'neki." He smiled brightly. "Yell if you need anything."

After Kaneki heard the door click shut, he hastily undressed and slipped into the warm bath, a soft moan escaping his lips because- _god_ , who knew how long it had been since he'd had this luxury? 

The raven-haired boy didn't quite have the energy to do anything but relax his tense, shivery body in the gentle warmth of the tub. He closed his eyes and slipped deeper- _just a little nap, I'll be fine_ -

A sharp knock on the door shocked him out of his exhaustion like a slap to the face, and he sat up with a yelp, knocking the shampoo into the tub and the body wash out of it. 

His heart thumping and cheeks burning, he addressed the voice on the other side of the door. "H-Hide, jeez, you scared the crap out of me!"

He could hear a giggle through the door. "Have a nice nap, 'neki? Your ramen's been ready for, like, half an hour. I kept it warm for you, but it's getting late."

From the other side, Hide could hear a muffled "S-sorry!" and several frantic splashing sounds and then two thumping noises accompanied by a muted "Shit!" Hide guessed he'd knocked the bottles over again, and reassured, "Take your time, it's fine."

Kaneki pulled the drain out and quickly wrapped the towel around his waist, picking up his bundle of clothes and opening the door, not wanting to keep his friend waiting- _oh_.

Hide stood at the doorway- _really, really close_ -and gazed at Kaneki with a mixture of happiness, nervousness, and something else, something deeper in his eyes. Kaneki felt his face heat up, his heart thumping and an odd fluttery feeling in his stomach. 

Kaneki shut his eyes-why exactly he wasn't certain-and through the darkness he felt a warm, soft pair of lips press against his own cool, chapped ones. It felt as if he was melting, but in the best way, somehow, and yet he was too startled to kiss Hide back.

The kiss lasted only a few seconds before Hide pulled back, sighing and scratching the back of his neck nervously. Kaneki could see his Adam's apple bob up and down as he swallowed nervously, clearly uncomfortable. He wanted to grab him and tell him _no don't feel bad it was amazing_ -

"Sorry. Was that okay?"

His gray eyes met Hide's. "B...better than okay."

Hide relaxed visibly, a loose smile gracing his lips and eyes full of affection. "I've been wanting to do that for, for God knows how long. Seeing you like this-" his eyes flickered down to Kaneki's bare chest- "it was like I couldn't help myself, and I know I should've asked you, or, or-"

His words were stopped by Kaneki's lips, and Hide wrapped his arms around the smaller boy and kissed him back, wanting nothing more than _this, right now_.

A minute or so into the kiss, however, Hide remembered that Kaneki had yet to eat anything. Suddenly pulling back, he squished Kaneki's cheek against his own, laughing in a distinctly movie-villainous way. "And you shall be my bride!"

The smaller boy, slightly disappointed and with cheeks pressed tightly together, managed a muffled, "Nooo, my prince~"

 _Well, there goes the mood._ Kaneki couldn't find it in his heart to mind, though. Knowing that the way he felt had a name-and, even better, was mutual-was enough for him.

Letting go of Kaneki, the brown-eyed boy clapped his hands together sharply. "Ramen!" 

He grabbed Kaneki's hand to drag him towards the kitchen, while Kaneki protested, "At least let me put on some clothes!" 

Wiggling his eyebrows, Hide smirked, "What you have on is fine~" The smaller boy groaned, blushing and not quite used to the new flirtation. 

"I'm cold, you perv!" 

Hide sighed and relented, "Pick any sweatshirt and sweatpants." Grinning, Kaneki ran off to change.

By the time he returned, long sleeves flopping and pant legs scuffing on the floor, Hide had prepared Kaneki's meal on the counter. Smiling brightly, he gestured gallantly to the bowl. "Your feast." 

The dark-haired boy giggled softly, sighing, "Thank you, Hide...you're the best." His cheeks flushed slightly as he spoke, unused to the feeling but happy that he could express his affection as openly as he wanted now. He sat, murmuring a soft ' _itadakimasu_ ', eating in small bites and clearly embarrassed, but, _eating_. Hide grinned wider. "Sorry I couldn't get you something nicer, but I swear breakfast tomorrow will be awesome."

 _Breakfast tomorrow..._ Kaneki sighed gently, remembering when he could count on a warm meal every day and infinitely grateful he could now. His chest thrummed happily with gratitude, and he murmured, "Thank you, Hide." Hide smiled in acknowledgement. "You really are the best."

After cleaning up the meal (Kaneki had finished about three-quarters of the bowl with constant prodding from Hide), he flopped on the couch, gesturing for Kaneki to sit with him. He followed suit, sitting close and leaning his head on Hide's shoulder, snuggling subtly closer. Feeling as if he could focus now that Kaneki had eaten, Hide gently pressed his forehead against Kaneki's, their lips inches apart.

"Hey."

"Hey."

They gazed into each other's eyes, full of affection.

"I'm so happy."

"I know."

Their lips met, touching gently. Neither boy had any real experience, but Hide had watched enough TV and Kaneki had read enough adventure novels with a romantic sideplot to have at least some idea of what they were doing. The dark-haired boy tilted his head slightly, adjusting the pressure and parting his lips just enough to allow Hide's to slip through. He met the taller boy's tongue with his own, curling it slightly, absolutely certain there was nothing better than this.

Fingers twisted through soft and fluffy locks of hair as their breathing intensified. Hide let his hands wander to the warm skin underneath Kaneki's shirt, pulling him closer and dragging his fingers across his hips and back in a soft caress. He gently bit Kaneki's lip-oh, _god_ -and receded the slightest bit, murmuring softly, "That's okay?" He received in response a needy moan and Kaneki's lips pressed again against his own, words beyond the dark-haired boy's state of mind. 

The rhythm of the rain and wind whipping against the windows echoed in Kaneki's ears as Hide softly bit his lip again, eliciting a soft moan into the brown-eyed boy's mouth. Hide traced his hands up and down Kaneki's chest, and the smaller boy's hands disentangled from Hide's fluffy mane and fell to his back, touching gently, featherlike, just under his shirt. Pulling back, the golden-haired boy guided Kaneki's hands into the air then grasped the hem of the gray-eyed boy's oversized sweatshirt, lifting it over his head. He gazed at Kaneki, eyes swimming with desire, and touched the scar at his collarbone gingerly. Upon seeing it didn't hurt him, he traced it gently with his fingertips, sending shivers through Kaneki's body.

"Beautiful."

"Wha-"

"It's beautiful. You're beautiful."

Hide wrapped his arms loosely around Kaneki's waist, hands lingering just above his waistband, and softly traced the scar with his lips before moving up to kiss and suck on his neck. The gentle nips drew a soft ' _Ah_ ' and sweet, pleasured mewls from Kaneki's mouth. Imitating Hide, he pulled away and lifted the golden-haired boy's arms up. Struggling a bit with the sleeves, he tugged off his shirt, and moved in for a kiss, only to be startled by the soft _clack_ of their teeth colliding. 

The pair apologized simultaneously to each other, setting off a fit of giggles which melted into a passionate kiss; Kaneki fit his bottom lip in the crease between Hide's so he could bite it. Soft moans escaped the smaller boy's mouth, becoming more and more needy and desperate with the increasing pressure that Hide applied. 

Kaneki traced his fingers along the brown-eyed boy's collarbone, while Hide's hand wandered from the other's hip across his leg to gently caress his inner thigh, eliciting a delighted moan from him. Desperate mewls tumbled from his throat, and he pulled back to kiss and playfully, gently bite the delicate skin on Hide's neck. 

The taller boy moaned softly, tangling one hand in Kaneki's soft, dark hair, and slowly sliding the other under the waistband of the gray-eyed boy's boxers.

"Kaneki." Hide's voice was low and husky in his friend's ear.

Worried he'd messed something up, Kaneki quickly pulled back and looked into his warm, half-lidded, chocolate brown eyes. "Y-yeah?"

"Your eyes...they're perfect. I love them....you."

"You-"

Hide's ears were turning pink. "I love....them. You."

 _Oh_. The words, though Hide was dancing around them, were there. Happiness welled up in his chest, and Kaneki was certain he would burst into euphoric tears at any moment.

_He loves me. Hide loves me._

"Um, and I....y-you. Love."

Kaneki's cheeks dusted with pink as he suddenly understood the other boy's struggles to speak, but Hide still lit up in his signature bright grin. The smaller boy pressed his forehead against Hide's, sighing gently.

"Do you want to...?" 

Kaneki could guess the words left unspoken. His gaze lingered on Hide's face, then lowered to where there was no hiding how he was feeling. He blushed harder, noticing the hot tension coiled in his own stomach.

"Yeah."

Hide nodded, a slow smile gracing his lips, and hooked his thumbs in the waistband of Kaneki's pants, when-

The loudest thundercrack either boy could remember ever hearing rattled the windows. Hide jumped slightly and pulled his hands away, but the effect on Kaneki was more of a full-body convulsion accompanied by a high-pitched, fearful yelp. He fell forward into Hide's arms, chest rising and falling quickly and heart racing.

"Hey, you're scared of a little thunder and lightning?"

Another boom elicited a terrified gasp from the smaller boy, who jumped and curled up closer to Hide's touch. He looked up at him, eyes teary, voice cracking pitifully, "Ye- _es_ s...!"

Hide's eyes widened and the easy, teasing smile dropped from his face, realizing that Kaneki had a real fear. He wrapped his arms protectively around the shaking boy, planting gentle, sweet kisses on his head.

"Hey...it's not gonna hurt you, alright? You're safe here, I promise."

Kaneki nodded but still shook like a leaf in Hide's arms, jumping every time another peal of thunder echoed, tiny, terrified cries occasionally escaping his lips. 

The other boy had to admit he was nowhere near the biggest fan of thunder either-his heart was hammering in his chest- but he resolved to comfort his friend if it meant keeping him safe and happy. 

He wiped away some of the tears welling in Kaneki's eyes before sweeping him up with a soft groan of effort, the smaller boy's head nestled comfortably against his chest while his legs dangled over Hide's arms. Kaneki was probably way too light for someone of his age and size, but anything above about 50 pounds was fairly hard for Hide to lift.

"Geez, what have you been eating?" he joked, realizing it might be insensitive a beat too late. "Wait. Forget I said that. I'm just hella out of shape. You weigh, like, negative eight pounds. Have you been living off of leaves and cheap coffee or something?"

Kaneki managed a weak laugh-at least it was something-and mumbled, voice shaking, "P-pretty much." He curled up slightly, nuzzling his face closer. Hide, resolved not to complain, carried him to the bedroom and set him gently on the full-size bed, which was only a few inches off the ground, so it required a great deal of effort on Hide's part to lower the smaller boy, light as he was, onto the bed. 

He quickly retrieved a soft, fluffy blanket from across the room and brought it to Kaneki, who wrapped himself in it, pressing his hands to his ears in an attempt to use the blanket as sound insulation. 

Joining the coal-haired boy on the bed, Hide snuggled closer to him, pressed his head gently to his chest, and began to talk in a soft, lilting, almost musical voice. It was mostly mindless chatter about music and school and the sky, but the relaxing tone that he used had a calming effect on Kaneki, who soon stopped trembling and snuggled closer, sighing tiredly.

After Hide had gone silent, Kaneki murmured softly, his voice thick, "Whenever there was thunder and lightning...I used to read to calm myself down. But now..." He sighed wistfully, a bitter smile playing on his lips. "They're all gone. Dad's books. She threw them away."

Oddly enough, these words brought a wide grin to Hide's face. Confused, Kaneki started, "Hide, wha-"

His grin only grew brighter. "I can't believe I forgot!" The taller boy jumped out of the bed and walked across the room to the desk, digging through a large bag. Kaneki sat up, rubbing his eyes tiredly, a little chagrined. 

"Hide, what are you doing? What's funny?"

He made a dramatic shushing motion, an ecstatic smile dancing on his face. "Close your eyes and hold out your hands." Begrudgingly, Kaneki complied, feeling a weight placed into his hands.

"Okay, open."

Blinking to focus his eyes, Kaneki found a pile of books in his hands. His eyes widened. No, not just books- _Takatsuki Sen's entire collection._ A slow grin crept onto his face.

"Oh my god." He smiled wider and wider until he was positively beaming, practically vibrating with enthusiasm, his hands fluttering excitedly. "Oh my _god_! This is-" He shuffled through the covers, wide-eyed. "This is _everything_! Monochrome Rainbow, Black Goat's Egg, even some here I've never even heard of! There's no way this is-"

"Everything he's ever written."

Kaneki gasped, attempting to hug the huge stack of novels to his chest. "Holy-" He caught his breath. "Thank you so, so much, Hide! You- how? _Why_?"

Chuckling softly, Hide explained, "I remembered you mentioned him as your favorite new author a while back. I, um..." He scratched the back of his neck sheepishly. "I bought you them for birthday presents every year, after you went missing, in the hopes you would turn back up." Laughing to himself, he grinned, "Better late than never, right?"

Kaneki jumped up and planted a kiss on the other boy's lips, his eyes dancing with excitement. "You're the best. You're the _best_. Oh my god, thank you so, so, so much."

Smiling softly, Hide gave him back a quick, soft kiss. "No problem, Kaneki. No problem at all." _I love seeing you so happy like this._

They lingered in each other's gazes for a moment, before another crack of thunder startled both boys and elicited a small, fearful wail from Kaneki. Instantly, Hide was at his side, reassuring and comforting, rubbing his back softly.

The lights flickered.

Both boys started in surprise, Kaneki more so. "Did the-"

_Zzt._

The room sunk into inky darkness, a chill quickly settling into the room. Hide's phone vibrated, and he fumbled for it in the dark, the sudden light from the screen illuminating his grim expression as he read the text.

"Something hit a power line. This whole ward and a couple others are down..." A small, panicked cry could be heard through the blackness. Hide wrapped his arms around Kaneki, pulling the blanket over his shoulders. 

"I'm gonna light some candles. Come with me, and-" he gestured to the fluffy blanket over the shivering boy's shoulders, "-bring that with you." 

The light from his cellphone still on his face, he gave his best attempt at a reassuring smile. "You can pretend that it's your cloak and you're on an adventure!"

Kaneki mumbled a weak "yeah, whatever, I'll be sure to do that" and stood, wrapping it tightly around him and tugging it over his head like a hood. He followed Hide to the kitchen, where he pulled several candles from the freezer. "Life hack," he grinned. "They'll last longer." 

He removed a lighter from a cabinet, and, Kaneki in tow, began placing candles sporadically in the apartment. He lit them one by one, providing a dim, flickering golden light that was just enough to see by.

The thunder had calmed to a distant echo while they lit the candles, and Kaneki found that he'd relaxed enough that his hands stopped shaking and he could breathe properly. However, the lights were still off and there was still no heating, and Kaneki was beginning to shiver, even under the fuzzy, soft blanket. 

Noticing this, Hide led him back to his bedroom, one arm rubbing his back. They crawled back into the bed, Hide joining Kaneki underneath the covers; his body felt as warm as an electric blanket, and the smaller boy pressed closer to him, closing all the gaps between their chests. He felt as if he was dissolving into the warmth of Hide's body.

Eventually, the thunder subsided, but the rain still beat heavily against the windows and the power remained stubbornly off. Kaneki looked up at the other boy, and the gentle light of the candles illuminated the affection in his brown eyes. Hide adjusted his arms to Kaneki's lower back, the first change in position they'd made in the past twenty minutes. Kaneki's arms were starting to sting with pins and needles. He sat up, rolling his wrists.

"Thank you."

Hide rolled his eyes. "Really, Kaneki, it's fine. You've said that a billion times and I'm always gonna reply with 'no problem'." He looped his arms over the raven-haired boy's bare shoulders. 

"Candles are sexy, right?"

Kaneki flushed red, right on cue. "Hide!" He swatted the golden-haired boy's arm. "Shut _up_."

"They are, though." Hide pulled forward, dragging his lips along Kaneki's collarbone. Any coherent response he would've had dissolved into a breathy moan. He arched his back, shivers-and not from the cold-coursing down his spine. Moving to straddle Hide, he tilted the other boy's chin towards him and kissed him dizzyingly hard, twisting his fingers into his fluffy hair. After a moment, he pulled back, giving a shy smile in contrast to his bold move.

Hide's ears and freckled nose turned pink and he looked as if he'd just won the lottery-surprised, but definitely ecstatic. He grinned, "Feisty."

"You've been doing everything. I just thought-" He was cut off by a pair of warm lips connecting against his own, just for a second.

"You're too sweet."

Hide slid a hand under Kaneki's waistband, gently cupping his ass.

"Can I-"

"Yes. Absolutely." Kaneki sounded as if he were begging, but couldn't find it in his desire-filled mind to care. He just _wanted_ Hide. " _Please_."

Hide tangled his hand in the smaller boy's soft, dark hair and gave him a tender kiss.

"Okay."

 

They found a better way to stay warm that night.

**Author's Note:**

> im crying irl im sorry u had to read that can you tell where i got lazy


End file.
